Lock & Key
by HikariSpark
Summary: After a couple of old necklaces make their way into Hinata and Naruto's currently separate lives, things start to change. Is the past going to be what finally brings them together, or will they both find their own way to each other? Either way, it seems like life has some other ideas for the two. NaruHina, not sure if there will be other pairings. Rated M to be safe for the future!
1. Chapter 1: A Piece of the Past

_Hi guys, HikariSpark here. This is my first in-progress fanfiction, and as such, I hope I do a generally acceptable job. I'm usually one to read fanfictions, and after reading so many I wanted to create my own. And let me just say- I have never realized how long and how much work it takes to write one! I spent over two hours on just this, and it still seems so short. However, I hope to improve and I hope you guys can enjoy this and review in a not overly harsh way. Moving on. My one-time relating to all chapters disclaimer!_

**DISCLAIMER: I do not under any circumstances own anything from the Naruto franchise. This fanfiction is written for fun and for the pleasure of readers everywhere! (Please don't sue me, I'm poor.) -**HikariSpark

_Alrighty. Here we go!_

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Chapter One: A Piece of the Past

She was already in pain. Barely ten minutes into the battle, and her body cried for relief. The wind caressed her body, bringing dust to her eyes and a chill to the exposed skin no longer sheltered by the security of her jacket. _'I have to get up... I have to keep going!' _The first attempt to get up only caused her to collapse in pain. The second, she managed to get on her feet. Swaying slightly, she pushed herself to limp forward, only for her legs to give out, causing her to fall again. Body shaking with her effort to stand, tears in her eyes, hand holding her ribs as if to keep them in place, she endured. "Just stop... stay away..." _His _whispered voice barely reached her once more, ignoring the ache of her muscles and the sharp pain in her ribs, she pushed herself up on hands and knees. Crawling along the ground, she heard another voice. "Why... why would someone as weak as you try to resist?" She grasped the cold iron pinning Naruto's hands to the ground, immediately feeling the resistance of foreign chakra. "Why would you fight me... when you know you'll only die?" Her arms shook, her muscles protested, but still... she pressed on.

_"Because... I never go back on my word. Because... that's my ninja way!"_

She flew. She landed. There was agony. And then, there was nothing.

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-Two Years Later-

December 27th, her eighteenth birthday. Hinata Hyuga reclined on her bed, staring outside at the late afternoon sky. '_It's all I can think about... when I have too much time on my hands.' _So far, she had done well to keep busy all day. Training in the morning, an early birthday lunch at her favorite tea shop with Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru, a cheerful visit with Kurenai and almost two-year-old Aiko, a stiff family affair with Neji, Hanabi, and her father... and now this. Over-thinking something of the past that she almost wasn't alive to think about. Sighing, she rolled off the bed, landing softly on her hands and knees before standing to take a look at the new flower-pressing book Neji had given her. Lying on the desk next to the book was a vase of rare flowers Hanabi had handed her almost immediately after Neji handed her the then-wrapped scrapbook. Caressing the petals softly, she smiled to herself. Although her cousin and sister seemed standoffish, she knew that they both cared for her, each in their own way. She sat at the desk and had just lifted her hand to open the scrapbook's cover when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. "Come in," she said softly. The door opened to show a tired Neji. '_He must have just gotten back from his evening training session..._' Hinata drew her hand back and settled for resting them in her lap.

"Good evening, Hinata." Neji had grown slightly over the past couple of years, but he looked almost exactly the same. The only obvious difference as of late was a three-inch hair length decreasement that amused her to see. Tenten had made a joke a few weeks ago that if his hair got any longer, she'd cut it off while he was sleeping... all while spinning a particularly sharp kunai on her index finger. Neji's face had turned stony, daring her to try, and she had 'accidentally' let the kunai fly towards him. It sliced through a good chunk of hair, leaving him with uneven ends and red cheeks as those of us there tried not to laugh at the horrified expression on his face. He had it evened out shortly after. His sharp eyes caught the smile that she was too slow to hide, and he gave her an exasperated smile. "Your father caught me on the way in and has asked me to tell you that he needs you in his office." His voice sounded as exhausted as he looked, but he still seemed to be in a good mood. "Thank you, Neji-nii-san. I hope you sleep well." The comment was received with a nod and a thank you as he closed her door quietly. Hinata turned back towards her window, staring back out at the sky. A bird lazily drifted through the chilly air. '_I better hurry before he becomes too impatient and comes upstairs his self...'  
_

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Hiashi's office wasn't what you would call warm and cozy. It had an almost sterile feel to it despite the expensive agarwood furniture filling the area around her. She stood in the doorway, observing the room as she waited for her father to look up from his documents and invite her in. His desk was directly in front of her, with a wood-backed chair seating her father behind it. There were two small tables off to either side of her, an impressive bookcase behind her father where scrolls related to clan activities were shelved meticulously, a decorative tea set she believed was a gift, and a few traditional paintings on the walls... It was considered one of the most beautiful rooms on clan grounds. Although Hinata was aware how wealthy her clan was, she just didn't understand their need to flaunt it so... so... _obnoxiously_. Putting her thoughts aside, she instead focused on her fathers face. He seemed to look slightly weary, a look that she didn't see very often.

"You do not need my permission to enter, Hinata." She met his eyes as he suddenly looked up and frowned. Hiashi raised an eyebrow at her, reading the emotion in her face. "You are my daughter," he stated simply. She made her way to one of the two chairs that sat before her father's desk, chiding herself for standing around. She was still used to the cold Hiashi of the past, the man who belittled her because he felt it would help more than harm her. The years had finally brought him to regret his mistakes, and while he was still trying to make amends with her it was sometimes hard to remember that she didn't need to act so formal around him anymore. A ghost of a smile flitted across his face. "Hinata. I have called you down so you can receive something set aside for you by your mother before you were born." Hinata's eyes widened. _'My... mother?' _Hiashi stood from his chair and turned to pick up a small box sitting on an end table that Hinata had overlooked when she first walked into the room. "Your mother wanted you to have this on your eighteenth birthday. She said it was given to her, for you, by a close friend." He paused, a fleeting look of sadness shown in his eyes. "Although I have not been the best father, I do keep my promises. This was one of them." Hinata listened, shocked by his words, and took the box that was being handed carefully to her. Her hands gently cradled the small box, a mournful yet reminiscent feeling in her heart. She didn't have much to remind her of her mother, as Hiashi usually avoided any mention of his deceased wife and had most of her possessions removed and boxed up. "Please take it out of here. I do not wish to see it any longer." Hiashi's face had reverted into a hard, carefully blank face as he fought the grief that still overtook him to this day. He turned and faced his desk. "Thank you, father." Hinata gracefully rose and left the room, mind still spinning. Hiashi stood silently as his daughter returned upstairs, carefully picking up a small frame on his desk. _'Hitomi... I am sorry for not being the father you wished I would be.'_

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_Well, I know it's short, as I stated earlier. If you're curious to the inspiration for Hiashi's office, you can google "Peace and Harmony Agarwood Furniture", there's a few pictures that you can see that were useful for my imagination. As far as how often the chapters will be coming out, be warned: I am a mother of a one-year-old girl and she takes up my day with her cuteness and baby activities. So usually I only have time at night when she goes to bed to write. Don't worry though, if there's one thing that disappoints me it's an unfinished fanfiction! Anyways, review if you'd like, I'd appreciate it! -Hikari_


	2. Chapter 2: Basking in the Sun

_Wow! 132 people in just the first day who read this chapter. I'm really happy that it at least caught the eye of most of you. I managed another chapter (although still short) today. I really do apologize for the length, I'm sure most of you are used to longer chapters (I know I am). I think once I get everything set up for the story, things should flow perfectly. Anyways, enjoy! -Hikari_

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Chapter Two: Basking in the Sun

Hinata walked down the dim hallway, softly walking on the hardwood floors beneath her feet. Entering her bedroom and quietly closing the door behind her, she sat on her bed and stared at the box in her hands. It was a worn mahogany, about the size of her fist with the Hyuuga clan symbol etched on the top. Releasing the small silver latch, she opened it. Inside, on a black padded bottom, rested a purple and silver locket, with a swirled indentation on what she assumed to be the front. She carefully lifted the necklace out of its long-time home, inspecting it for a latch or release of some sort. "How strange..." she murmured. There didn't seem to be any way to open it, yet she assumed it was a locket due to the small seam that encircled the edge. She laid down on her bed, staring at the locket in her hands. The moonlight reflected off the silver as it dangled from her fingers. Closing her eyes, she smiled. This, other than the foggy memories, was one of the few things she had of her mother's... she would cherish it and keep it close to her heart.

Although her father seemed cold and distant, she remembered a time when he wasn't. When her mother was alive. When all seemed perfect...

* * *

_The sky was a brilliant blue, the grass a lush green. It was a beautiful summer day, and the smell of flowers and fresh, dug-up dirt drifted through the air to tickle Hinata's nose. She kneeled at the flower bed, trying to plant the tiger lilies her mother was so fond of. _

_At five years old, she wasn't what you would call a green thumb, but she loved to sit and work in the garden. Concentrating on planting another lily, she accidentally stepped on a lavender plant that was growing not too far from where they were planting.'oh no!' she thought. She tried to stand them back up, hoping that they would stay, but the flowers slowly drooped back down again. Looking around wildly until she spotted her mother at the small pond across from her. "Momma! I need help!" Hitomi Hyuuga straightened up from the watering can she was refilling, and walked as quickly as she could towards her daughter to see what the commotion was all about. Drooping slightly, at the edge of one of the flower beds, were a few stalks of lavender Hitomi kneeled carefully, one hand on her belly, in front of the five-year-old. She smiled. "What's wrong, Hina-chan?" Hinata looked down at her feet. "Well, I was trying to plant one of the lilies in the ground when I stepped on those flowers, and then I tried to fix them but they kept falling, and now I feel really bad cause I don't want any of them to die-" Hitomi laughed softly, laying both of her hands on her daughters shoulders. "Hinata. Don't worry, they'll be okay. All we have to do is nurture them and they'll be fine." Hinata's small lips formed themselves into a frown of confusion. "Nurture? What's that mean, momma?" Hitomi stood, pointing to the flowers all around them. "Well, when you plant, feed, or water a flower, you nurture it. You help it grow and you help them blossom into something lovely." She paused. "You know, love is a lot like a flower. If you nurture and protect love, it also grows into something beautiful... Do you understand, Hina-chan?" She turned back towards her daughter, just in time to watch as Hinata's face lit up in wonder. "Hai!" Hitomi laughed again. She could tell that she was still a little confused, but she knew that her daughter usually agreed with anything she said. "Someday, you'll truly understand. And, like a flower, if you stay strong and don't give up, you'll find yourself basking in the warmth of the sun... Now, let's go water the garden."_

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Hinata smiled as the memory ended. Sitting up, she slipped the locket over her head, moving her long, dark tresses out of the way. She tucked it under her shirt, where it rested snugly over her heart. "Basking in the sun..." She sighed. She looked over towards her nightstand, where a picture from Naruto's birthday earlier this year rested. It had been two years. Two years since Pein attacked, since Naruto saved them, since her... confession. It seemed like everything and everyone interfered with her half-hearted attempts to speak to him. She wanted to give up... but she had to know. If he had anything to say, if he felt _anything.._. Hinata was tired of wondering. _'I have to do something about it... I need to stop hiding.' _She nodded her head in determination. It was time to give it her all again. She wasn't just going to give up the last second again. Her stomach flipped as she thought of how close she came during Naruto's birthday party earlier that year. If it hadn't been for Sakura... Well, that was another problem to deal with later. Regardless of what happened tomorrow, she was going to do it. She smiled to herself, and laughed. Shy Hinata Hyuuga, on a mission! How her teammates would laugh if they knew. She opened a drawer on her nightstand and placed the locket's box inside. Rising and walking to her closet, she grabbed her pajamas and entered the bathroom connected to her bedroom. She was feeling a bit too hyped up to sleep, but she knew staying up all night wouldn't help her. Clearing her mind and stepping into the almost too-hot bath, she relaxed. The locket gleamed in the steamy light. She glanced at it, admiring it's simple beauty._ 'Still... I wonder who it was who gave this to mother?' _She let the thought drift from her mind, and began to plan for the next day.

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_Well, review if you'd like. If you have any suggestions or constructive criticism please don't be afraid to say anything! Thank you!_


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